Undocumented Albanian immigrant loan shark sentenced to 3-plus years in prison, set for deportation

Tomo Duhanaj, 44, a Troy man originally from Kosovo in Albania, is accused of operating a loan shark business and on Tuesday was sentenced to 41 months in prison.

U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade's office says Duhananj preyed on the U.S.-Albanian community, extending credit or loans that he forced recipients to pay back with astronomical interest, sometimes up to 100 percent; and he threatened force for nonpayment.

“Loaning cash at excessively high interest rates while enforcing repayment through violence or threat is a federal crime,” said Paul M. Abbate, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “Those who prey upon members of the community in this manner and act outside the bounds of the law will be brought to justice.”

Duhanaj, 44 pleaded guilty to charges of making extortionate extensions of credit and money laundering on December 19, 2013.

Duhanaj, an undocumented alien from Kosovo, concealed proceeds from his loan-sharking business by placing assets in the names of others.

Duhanaj is being deported to Kosovo at the conclusion of his sentence.

“This defendant used his contacts in his community to prey upon people who were desperate for cash,” McQuade said.